Surgical absorbent dressing



in) Model) B. W. JOHNSON. SURGICAL ABSORBENT DRESSING.

No. 582,926. Patented May 18, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrron.

ROBERT IV. JOHNSON, OF NE\V BRUNS\VICK, NE\V JERSEY.

SURGICAL ABSORBENT DRESSING.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,926, dated May18, 1897.

Application filed November 19, 1895- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex, State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Substitutesfor Surgeons Sponges, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce as a substitute for the spongesused by surgeons during surgical operations or in the treatment ofwounds a mop having greater absorbent power and that is inexpensive andsterile and that can be kept more easily in a sterilized condition. Iattain this object .in the sponge substitute produced in accordance withmy invention and consisting of a tablet or disk of closely-compressedand sterilized absorbent cotton having one or more of its facesprotected with other material, as hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a diskor tablet of compressed sterilized cotton or sponge substitute whollyinclosed in sterilized gauze adhering thereto by compression inaccordance with my invention. Fig. l is a transverse section of thesame. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a disk or tablet of compressed andsterilized absorbent cotton or sponge substitute having its top andbottom faces protected by disks of sterilized gauze adhering thereto bycompression in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transversesection of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of adisk or tablet ofcompressed and sterilized and absorbent cotton or sponge substitutehaving only its bottom face protected by a disk of sterilized gauzeadhering thereto by compression. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of thesame. Fig. I is a perspective view of a disk or tablet of compressed andsterilized absorbent cotton retained without gauze in its dense tabletform by the great pressure to which it has been subjected. Fig. 4 is atransverse section of the same.

In all the figures of said drawings, 0 represents the compressed tabletof sterilized absorbent cotton constituting the main portion of thesponge substitute, and in Figs. 1

Serial No. 569,447. (No specimens.)

and 1, B represents sterilized gauze adhering thereto by compression andby which it is wholly inclosed. pressed tablet of absorbent cotton 0 hasonly its top and bottom protected by disks ]3 of sterilized gauze. InFigs; 3 and 3 the compressed tablet O has only one of its facesprotected by a disk B of sterilized gauze 6o compressed therewith, andthereby adhering thereto. The tablet of absorbent cotton shown in Figs.4 and 4 retains its form and consistency from the great pressure towhich it has been subjected, and its interior retains its sterilizedcondition from its outer layer of cotton that forms a well-knownprotection against the passage of germs and microbes.

I have used various means to obtain the sponge substitute or compressedcotton tablets, and although I prefer to use absorbent cotton that hasprimarily been rendered as nearly sterile as possible by well-knownmeans I have also discovered that absorbent cotton could be sterilizedby heavy pressure applied thereto.

The means that I prefer to use to obtain the sponge substitute or cottontablets consists in taking sheets of absorbent cotton fibers of suitablethickness or superposed sheets, cutting them with a die, and thusbunching them and at the same time subjecting them to very heavypressure. Said sheets. of cotton may be without covering or may beprotected by sheets of sterilized gauze on one or both of the faces thatare cut by the die and pressed at the same time with the cotton, thepressure causing it to adhere firmly to said cotton.

The sterilized cotton tablets can also be ob- 9o jecting the bunches andtheir wrapper together to heavy pressure in a die, or the bunches canfirst be given their form of tablet, as shown in Fig. 4, and be Wrappedin sterilized gauze, and the compound tablet and In Figs. 2 and 2 thecom- 55 having one or more of its faces protected with disks of othermaterial pressed upon and adhering thereto substantially as described.

2. A substitute for a surgeons sponge c011- sisting of a tablet ofclosely-eompressed and sterilized absorbent cotton having itssterilization completed by heavy pressure substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT \V. JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

13. G. SIMMONS, C. N. SIMMONS.

